March 25, 2013

- Well I've got a lot of exciting news! We got transfer calls on Saturday and we found out that Hermana Mansilla and I are both going to be training! She's going off to Dorrego and I'll be staying here in Puerto. I kinda had a feeling I'd be training again, so I'm excited! It'll be great to have an extra energy boost to finish off my mission training a nuevita.(newbie) We'll be heading off to Bahía tomorrow to go pick them up. I'm excited to train, but I'm sad I'm going to be leaving my Mansilla. Our companionship was perfect, and we never had problems. It was a dream and we had a lot of success together.

Sweet Mariana

-The other exciting news is that Mariana got baptized on Friday. That was a miracle in and of itself. Missionaries have been teaching her since August, but she never could get baptized because she was in and out of the hospital. She has cancer in the area where she sits... not to be graphic, but she has a lot of lesions and she's constantly in pain. Her legs are very weak and she can't walk anymore. Well, she got out of the hospital on Thursday, and the plans were set in motion to baptize her on Friday at 6. Her daughter was supposed to come home at 5 to help her change and get ready, but it turns out that she couldn't make it in time. We ran over there at 5:30, helped her change, and then the bishop, his son, and another hermano came and put her in a chair and carried her out to the taxi. They couldn't find a wheelchair in time, so they carried her on the chair the whole time. She was in so much pain... almost to the point of vomiting... I felt terrible. We got to the church and we had an hermana there who's a nurse. She helped her get into her clothes and ready for the baptism. There were two men waiting for her in the font, and two men who carried her in there on the chair. Luckily, she got baptized in one go and the nurse helped her change quickly. She was confirmed that same day. We all felt so bad that she was in so much pain, but she knew, and we all knew that this baptism was important for her salvation. I honestly don't know how much longer she's going to be with us. But we went to go see her Saturday and yesterday and she told us that when she got in the water, the pain and fear left her. She was all smiles after that. It was so wonderful to be apart of this experience with Mariana. She is a special woman and so spiritual. The Lord really has blessed me here in Puerto.

- Yesterday we had stake conference. It was a broadcast for all of Argentina and it was AMAZING! Elder Bowen spoke (in Spanish) about the Holy Ghost and receiving revelation. Suni was there, and I think that talk was especially for her. He also talked about how when we "receive" the Holy Ghost when we are baptized it is a CHOICE if we receive it or not. It is also a CHOICE if we want it to stay with us or not. It was a great talk. Also, Elder Nelson spoke in Spanish! It was so special to see him. We felt like they were in the room with us.

- Hermana Mansilla told me something yesterday that really humbled me. She and President are pretty close and he frequently talks to her about the Hermanas and how to help them. He confides in her with that type of stuff. Well, before I got here, he told her that he trusts all of the Hermanas, but there are some that he trusts in completely and unconditionally. Actually two. Hermana Mansilla, and me. He said that we are the pillars of the mission. I was honestly like... what?? She said that basically he knows he can put us with anyone and anywhere and give us any assignment knowing that we would do it and succeed. I was floored and humbled at this confidence that President has in me. Our mission leader also told me that he had a lot of faith in my capabilities and knows I can do a lot of good in Puerto. I hope I don't sound like I'm bragging, because I really do feel so humbled... and I have a drive to prove myself to President and to our Mission leader. Hermana Mansilla and I talked about it later... how Pres told her this before I came here... we think he put us together for a reason. Actually we know it was for a reason. The investigators we taught and baptized in 9 weeks were no ordinary investigators. A family, an engineer, a psychologist, a woman with cancer... They were tough to teach with a lot of tough questions and issues, but we did it. So now that we completed our purpose together, we're off to teach new missionaries how to have success.

- Well, how special is it that today, on March 25, 10 years since my brother passed away, I get to write you all and give my little tribute. I don't know where I would be without the special lessons I learned from my brother. Lessons on love, service, patience, endurance, and long suffering. I don't think he knew that he was preparing me to serve a mission, long before I even knew I would go. He is busier than I am on the other side, and I feel that he is approving of my work here in the mission. He's not far, I know that for sure. I am blessed to have the family that I do. I am blessed to be a missionary, sharing the news that families are forever. And what better example do I have to share than that of my own family? I know families are forever. I know that MY family is forever. And man, I'm grateful for it. So to all of you, be sure to send my parents lots of love today, since I'm not there to do so.

Shoutouts: Happy Birthday to Andrea Corbett! Grandma and Grandpa Squire, I haven't been getting your emails! Anna, I haven't gotten pics of Evelyn in a while! I don't know if they are coming through!

Everyone! Our mission rules on emails have changed! I now can receive emails from friends and all family members! So send away to cydnee.squire@myldsmail.net! You guys are the best!

March 18, 2013

Wow, I'm sitting here staring at the screen trying to think about what I can write. I think about all of the stuff that happens during the week then I get to the cyber and my mind is like....... blank.

Juan Enrique

- We found a new investigator last week... his name is Juan Enrique and he's 80 years old! We found him knocking doors. He loves politics and says that we're the only friends that he has. We went to go get him for chuch on Sunday morning and he came out in pants, a button up shirt and clean shoes. He's got problems with his knees so he does the "grampa shuffle" when he walks. We walked all the way to church, up and down giant hills! I almost had a heart attack going down the hill because he started running! I was like "Whoa tiger! Take it easy!" I grabbed onto his arm so that he could walk easier. He joked and said, "I just wanna get to church faster!" But he enjoyed all the meetings and told me "So I should read the Book of Mormon, every day, right? If not, I´ll never learn!" It was so adorable.

-Mariana is still in the hospital, but is planning on leaving this week, WE HOPE. We are going to try and baptize her before the transfer ends this Saturday. Basically, the ward is waiting till she leaves, so that we can baptize her when she has a good day. It's going to be a different type of baptism. When she has a good day, we'll fill up the font, we have members on reserve to come help, and a few members who are nurses that are going to help her change. There might be more than one member in the water with her to help her in and out. I´'m so anxious for this baptism! She needs this saving ordinance and needs it now! Please pray for her!

-This week there was an activity in the Stake Center to celebrate the foundation of the Relief Society. We normally don't go to these things, but our ward mission leader asks us to go to activities to support the ward and create more trust between us and the members. It was absolutely amazing! They had a skit that portrayed the organization of the RS with Joseph Smith, Emma and all the early members of the RS. That's where the pioneer pictures come in. I am so grateful for the Relief Society! Our role as women in the church is so important, and through RS we can learn how we can serve better in the community and the church.

Con Graciela at Relief Society Celebration

- I'm so happy to be a missionary! And I'm so happy that we have more missionaries to knock more doors and talk to more people! Especially SISTER missionaries! How wonderful is this work!?! I love it!

Con mi compañera, Hermana Mansilla de Argentina :-)

Shoutouts: HAPPY BIRTHDAY BEAU!!! Flip, I can't believe you're 15. I swear I just watched you get baptized yesterday. Have a good day, kid!

Happy Birthday this week to Emily Gray! Woo! 3 Years old!!

And happy birthday to Ruby De La Garza!

Love you all!!

Anna! Thank you for the email! I love you and miss you!!

Mom and Dad, glad you had lots of opportunities to serve this week! Humanitarian work and the MTC! My parents are rockstars.

March 11, 2013

How are things? Well, the mission is turning me into an old lady. My legs hurt, my back hurts, I'm tired all of the time.... whew! At least I know I'm wearing myself out in the work of the Lord, there's no better way.... I don't think :) More on that in a second.

-SO! Emanuel got a calling to serve in the YM presidency as a counselor! And he got ordained a PRIEST! I'm super happy about that! They are seriously the best family ever. We have a noche de hogar (FHE) with them tonight and I'm super excited about it. Suni looked so cute yesterday with her YW binder!

- Funny thing, we went to centro today to take pics and look around. I was getting a lot of "adios", "hola chica" 's today... more than usual and from old men. (aka hombres verdes, or hombres cochinos (disgusting)) I was pretty disgusted, like always (I usually go "BLEH!" loud enough for them to hear me so that they know I am NOT pleased. I would LIKE to do more but I'm a missionary and I can't go telling men off in the streets. Quiet dignity :-).. then one old man said, "adios" and I gave him a look and he said "oh! I'm sorry! You look like the girl who dances tango on broadway right now! I'm sorry!" And then I just peed my pants laughing! It was so funny.

- So, about my old ladiness. WOW! Can I just say I'm very tired! I'm in the final stretch of the mission marathon, and I feel like I'm at the point where I'm at a slow jog, and people are fast walking faster than I'm jogging. I feel like stopping off to the side to take a nap in the grass, but I can't!

It reminds me of the time that Dad and I hiked Timpanogos together. I had eaten CEREAL for breakfast (rookie mistake... I should have eaten more carbs and protein for more energy and brought more food with me) and I was dying close to the finish. But, my dad put his hand on my backpack and pushed me up the mountain while shoving trail mix in my hands (to this day, I still loath trail mix because of this experience). I sorta made that analogy that while I'm in the "slow jog", saying, "I don't know if I have the strength to finish. I'm tired. I need to rest." That the Savior has his hand on my back, passing me Gatorade and that freaky gel stuff, pushing me to the finish line, saying, "Cyd, you can do this. Find my lambs. Feed my sheep. I will help you. I will give you energy when you need it. But you have to keep your legs moving." So that's where I am right now. It would be a lie to say that I never got tired in my mission and that you future missionaries won't get tired. There will be days when all you want to do is sleep, where your brain is foggy and your body just hurts, but just remember that the Savior is there with you, helping you along the way, all you have to do is keep your body moving and keep knocking those doors.

Shoutouts: PAIGE, sorry I got confused, happy bday THIS WEEK!

And Sam Davis, I hope you had a fantastic birthday this past week.

JAKE! Congrats on going through the temple, I wish I could have been there with you.

I love you all and have a great week!!

H. S.

(Hermana Squire)

Pic uno: In front of a giant lobo marino..sea lion. They are pretty famous here in Mar de Plata.

March 4, 2013

Listen, I hope you aren't offended by the name "goober". It's really a term of endearment because you aren't just any goobers... you're MY goobers. And I love ya. The end.

- SOOO we hit a cold front here in Mar Del Plata... We hit autumn super fast, and now I'm sleeping with 2 blankets. I'm scared for winter. I just keep flashing back to sleeping with thermals under my PJs, wearing like 3 layers of clothes, sleeping with six blankets, and how cold it is when the sun goes down. Eeek. And it's gonna be worse since I'm by the ocean.

- SO! Suni has a calling! She is now secretary in the YW presidency! How exciting! She was really happy about it! I'm sure that Emanuel will get a calling here soon.

- Mariana... well, she's not doing super great. Good thing is, she quit smoking! She hasn't smoked in a week! Keep praying for her to resist the temptation. So, she has her good days and her bad days, and when it's a bad day, she's in a lot of pain, and her legs are weak. We are thinking of talking to the bishop about baptizing her when she feels good. Like, call her everyday and when she can walk and isn't in so much pain, we fill up the font and do it. The poor thing is in such pain.

- So the new hermana is here! I'm a grandma! Her name is Hermana Godoy and she's from Corrientes, Argentina. And she's 19! She's great!

Our good bye celebration for Elder Proctor. Hermana Godoy is next to me.

Right now there are 4 of us in Puerto. But we're doing something new. We are working as a team. That way there is less competition between the hermanas and less between the members as well. We share the investigators and share the baptism. But it really isn't OUR baptism. It's God´s! So, we can cover a lot more ground and find a lot more people when we work as a team. It requires more humility and more charity, but hey, we're all trying to develop Christlike attributes!

Cold front hit Mar del Plata... and the more that time goes on in the mission, the less important my hair and clothes become. plus, there are a lot of gross men here, like I wanna give THEM anything to look at, psh. Dig the fake glasses??